Tail and signal lamp



1927. May 24 J. c. srEARNs lTAIL AND SIGNAL LAMP Filed Max/14. 1924 Paten-tend May 24, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JASON C. STEABN'OFWORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

man. AND sIeNAr. Lemar.

' Application mea may 14, 1924. serial No. 713,351. v

' construction by .which a signal indicating stoppin or slowing up, or turning can be given, t e parts being arranged in a com pact and symmetrical manner; and to provide for shielding the red tail light and lens from breakage and from dust and dirt. v

The invention also involves improvements in the details of construction, as will appear.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in whichl Fig. 1 isa side view of a lamp constructed in accordance with this invention shown with everything except the lamps and conducting elements in central v-vertlcal section; v Y

Fig. 2 is a'hori'zontal section of the signal lamp on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a central vertical section of .the tail lamp on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. In the rst place I provide a bracket 10 perforated so that it can be bolted to any `convenient part of the frame of an automobile or to a spare tire carrier. This has a bar 11 at the bottom permanently fixed to it and provided with slots so that the number plate 12 can be detachably secured to the bar. Thus, the number plate is fxedly held in-position. At the top thebracket 10 has a rearward projection 13 extending upwardly to providea'plate 14 in avertical position b ut curved around so that it can be riveted or otherwise secured to a cylindrical sheet metal lamp casing 15. On account of the construction that will' be described below,

this lamp casing can be very small indeed and especially of a height "of not over an inch in ordinary cases. It is provided with -two circumferential grooves 16 at the top and bottom extending all the way around with circular flanges 17 beyond them formed integrally withv the casing 15.- The casing has a flat top 26 andis open at the bottom.

This is all the metal casing there is for the device;

Th two circumferential grooves 16 are used for the purpose of mounting on the top and bot-tom of this vertical cylindrical casing a pair of glass covers `18 and 19. These are usually called domes'J or globes and are shown as hemi-ellipsoids which makes the'lwhole lamp look .substantially -like a true ellipsoid although it has a cylindricalpart at the center. This isa neat construction that can be cleaned very easily. Each one has a circumferential bead 21 around its open end. These covers are placed up against the'top and bottom of the casing 15 so that the beads are separated from the anges 17 slightly by a packing 22 of an annular shape of any convenient yielding material, but preferably of soft rubber, placed next .to them and between the bead and the liange in each case. A pair of concaveLconvex annular rings 23 of sheet metal are clamped around the. respec-r tive beads and ianges to hold the two covers in position. These rings are split in one lace and have radial vflanges 24 which `are eld together by bolts or screws 25 to hold the covers detachably in position.

The translucent globe or cover 18 is colored green, or any color indicating danger, and provided with longitudinal frosted triangular corrgugations 20 inside and is smooth outside for the pur ose of more uniformly distributing the liglh in and causing the entire area of the cover to give oli' illumination from every point thereof. The corrugations have the effect of causing the rays from the single light inside to appear to come from diverging points and thereby thoroughly illuminate all parts. ofthe area. The cover itself .also protects the lamp 38 insidekand that is supported by a solid wall l26- asstated, `so that it will not tend to vibrate unduly.

The last remark also applies to the lampl 39 supported in the same way. The detachable transparent cover 19 surrounds the jewel 3l and the electric lamp 29 and protects them andv keeps dust and mud from the surface of the jewel so that it will ret rays therel main bright at all times. It is very easy to wipe off the smooth outer surface of the two covers.

When the device is made up in this way the general shape of the whole lamp is ellipsoidal with the ends separated and a cylindrical portion between them. This constitutes a neat and harmonious structure and takes 11p very little room. It is easy to assemble and easy to take apart and ut together in case of breakage or other amage.

The top of the casing 15 is formed preferabl by a solid plate 26 of' sheet metal and at on top but this is perforated at the center. Under the top wall surrounding the perforation is secured a sheet -metal plate 27 which is perforated at the center and which extends down at one side of the center to form a vertical bracket 28. This bracket is rovided with a circular portion 29, at the ottom having integral lugs 30 for holdin a circular glass lens or jewel 31 refera ly colored red. Preferably this is 'ormed slightly convex on the rear and with facets on its convex side. The other side is either fiat orI concave. j

Through the plate 14 there is a perforation and `in this is located an electrical connector 33 arranged to carry 'twowires through it, insulated from each other. These are connected individually through two conducting terminals 34 and 35 arranged in the form of spring arms and extending into a hollow cylindrical connector 36 which is secured to the bracket 28 and is arranged in vertical position. This connector extends up through the perforation in the center o f the top wall 26 so as to receive a lamp 38 in the cover 18. .The bottoni of the connector 36 extends down into a posi- Ition to receive another lamp 39 in horizontal axial alignment with the jewel 31 so that it is located directly in front of it.

The wires connected with' thespring terminals\34 andy 35u are connected up in the usual way so that'one of them can be turned on by a switch at the dash to light up 'the tail lamp 39 at the bottom to furnish the desired red light. The other one is connected up with a switch to 'be operated either by hand, or preferably automatically in the usual way, to light the lamp 38 and show a dan er signal when the vehicle is slowing up or the purpose of stopping or turnin These lamps are grounded on the other si e as usual.

This furnishes a very simple, neat and convenient combined danger and tail lamp having few arts likely to get out of orderpand easily ta en apart and put together again when the lamps burn out or in case of any other, trouble. It is rigidly mounted and has a symmetrical ap earance.

Althoughl have iliilstrated and described only a single form of the invention, I am aware of theffact that modiiica'tions can be made therein by any person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore I do not wish to be limited'to all the details of construction or to the specic shapes herein shown and described but what I do claim is 1. In a tail and signal lamp, the combination with a cylindrical metallic casing having a pair of outwardly extending {ianges at its top and bottom and provided with a partition across it, of a pair of hollow covers of glass, each having an open end provided with a bead therearound set against one of said flanges on opposite sides of the casing, a single ring of arcuate transverse section aroundl each adjacent flange and bead for holding the covers against the bottom and top of the casing, electrical connections extending through the cylindrical'wall of said casing horizontally, a lamp in each of said covers, means carried by the casing and extending vertically through the center of the casing for supporting said lamps on opposite sides of the partition, and means extending from said electrical connection for connecting the lamps with a source of power.

2. In a tail and signal lamp, the combina- 'tion witha cylindrical metallic casing, of a pair of covers of glass, eachy having an open end set against the opposite ends of the casing, and coinciding with them, means lfor holding the covers against the bottom and top of the casing so that they close them, the casing having an integral top extending across the bottom of one of said covers having a-perforation at the center, a lamp connector located vertically in said perforation and'depending down from it and having a lamp in its up er-end located in the upper cover and a amp in its Lbottom end located in the lower cover, a bracket supported by the integral top wall of said casing and hanging down into the/lower cover; and a colored glass supported by said bracket in horizontal alignment with the lower lamp and behind it.

^ 3. In a tail and signal lamp, the c'ombination with a bracket, of a metallic casing carried by the bracket, means in the casing for holding a lamp depending below the bottom of said casing, a transparent cover below the casing supported thereby all around the uper edge o the cover spaced from the bracket and surrounding thev lamp, and means be tween the lam and the cover for coloring the rays projected rearwardly from the lamp.

4.7In a tail and signal lamp, the combination with a metallic casing, of a pair of 'transparent covers, each havin an open end set against opposite ends of t e said casing, means for holding the covers against the bottom and the top of'said casing, the into the lower cover, and a colored glass casing having a partition and a hanger or supported by said bracket in horizontal Il support, a lamp connector or socket, .means alignment with the lower lamp and betfor holding it vertically in said casing, and hind it. i

having a lamp in its upper end located in In testimony whereof I have hereunto afthe upper cover and a lamp in its bottom end fixed my signature.

located in the lower cover, a bracket supported by said hanger and hanging down JASON C. STEARNS. 

